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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29122863">“I’m sorry.”</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea0W0stache/pseuds/tea0W0stache'>tea0W0stache</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Brace Yourself [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Author, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Daiya was a good big brother, Dyslexic Mondo Owada, Gen, Ghost Owada Daiya, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, One Shot, Owada Daiya's Death, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, dont ask me how a ghost can touch someone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:33:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29122863</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea0W0stache/pseuds/tea0W0stache</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He's lost everything. </p><p> </p><p>His father was an abusive prick who took his anger out on children. He hit Mondo alot. Mostly for being a crybaby. A coward. Weak. He walked out when Mondo was 6, and never looked back.</p><p> </p><p>His mother, thought not physical, was a drunk, a junkie. She hit Daiya once. She ran when Daiya kicked her out. He hopes she rots in hell. He knows he won't hold back if she tries to show up to his funeral.</p><p> </p><p>His big brother. The man who raised him. Who protected him. Cared for him.</p><p> </p><p>The man he killed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Owada Daiya &amp; Owada Mondo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Brace Yourself [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2135082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>“I’m sorry.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>am i projecting onto mondo because my big brother hated me all my life and i wanted a good brother like i KNOW daiya was? maybe.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Fourteen year old Mondo Owada lived alone in his brother's old apartment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only reason he could pay rent is because the landlord took pity on him, and the gang he had inherited had offered to help pay. He didn't say no.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy sat on his bed, back to the wall, and knees pulled up to his chest. His brother's jacket was draped across his knees as he hugged them, trying to imagine Daiya there, hugging him, holding him, comforting him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mondo hasn't let anyone touch him in days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He's not going to school anymore. There's no point. Not when he promised Daiya he would run the gang and keep it together - school would get in the way of that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He's run out of tears by now. Besides.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boys don't cry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Mondo stayed on his bed, holding his brother's items close to his chest. A jacket. A cigarette case. A couple of rings.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He's lost everything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His father was an abusive prick who took his anger out on children. He hit Mondo alot. Mostly for being a crybaby. A coward. Weak. He walked out when Mondo was 6, and never looked back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mother, thought not physical, was a drunk, a junkie. She hit Daiya once. She ran when Daiya kicked her out. He hopes she rots in hell. He knows he won't hold back if she tries to show up to his funeral.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His big brother. The man who raised him. Who protected him. Cared for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man he killed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only reason Mondo was alive anymore at this point was because of Daiya's promise. He'd never break a promise. Never.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice was rough. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raspy. Unused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For some reason, a breeze blew, making him clutch the jacket tighter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"What for, little bro?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That voice. </span>
  <b>
    <em>That voice.</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His head shot up, eyes wide, as he found a transparent, luminous figure in front of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They glowed a light purple. They wore a jacket, the same as the one Mondo held as of now. They even had the same hairstyle as..</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Daiya?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That smile was unmistakable. The one he would give Mondo whenever he would get into fights at school and find out that they were because kids kept taunting him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mondo felt tears bubbling over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Hey kid."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moved everything off his lap, and scooted forward with shaky hands. When his hands came in contact with Daiya, he stopped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>The texture was. Odd was the best way to describe it. He felt like he was made of jello but not as thick. But he could </span><em><span>touch him.</span></em> <em><span>He could touch Daiya.</span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mondo let himself cry. There was no way he could stop himself even if he tried.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In a broken voice, sobbing, Mondo hugged the spirit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry- I'm so sorry- I- I'm sorry-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Daiya pat his back, hushing his little brother the best he could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Why're you sorry? You did nothing wrong, Mondo."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wh-what? Daiya, Daiya I </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed you!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice broke at the last two words, and he coughed, wiping at his face. Daiya uses his thumbs to wipe away stray tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh, Mondo. You didn't kill me. I </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>chose</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> to save you."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Mondo was still sobbing, leaning into his hands. Daiya brought his brother close again and cooed, running his fingers through his hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I didn't- I did-didn't tell them- the-Y- they s-said you-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I know, kid. It's okay. Deep breaths. I got you."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stayed like that for a while. Daiya, running his hands through Mondo's hair, soothing him. Mondo, calming down and relishing in the presence of his brother again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was almost like he never died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>".. aniki?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Yes?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"... can.. can you.."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Yes, Mondo. I'll stay with you until you sleep."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"... thank you."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"What are big brothers for?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first time in a long time, Mondo Owada layed in his brother's arms that night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And when he had awoken, Daiya was gone. So he took it as a dream. A pleasant dream. The first since that night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mondo decided to get up that day. He put on his brother's jacket, and he tucked his brother's cigarette case into his pocket. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And as he walked out the door for the first time in days, he could've sworn he felt what seemed like a hand, ruffling his hair playfully.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>honestly this can be tied in with the brace yourself timeline too. fuck it. we’re adding ghosts now.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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